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More and more university applicants are opting for institutions in their home region, according to the latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Almost half of successful home candidates (44.5 per cent) were accepted by universities in their home region in 1995. This is up two per cent over 1994 entry and reflects a growing trend showing no signs of stopping, according to UCAS chief executive Tony Higgins. The trend was even more prevalent among HND candidates, 56 per cent of whom are studying near home this year.

UCAS said demand was highest for medicine and dentistry and subjects related to medicine. Least popular courses proved to be combined sciences. "For the most popular courses there were more than two applicants for each place but barely one for the least popular," Mr Higgins said.

As a result of the decline in the birth rate the number of school leavers has fallen steadily since the 1980s, reaching its lowest level for the cohort applying for entry in 1995. UCAS said, however, that there were almost 162,000 home applicants aged 18, a small rise over 1994.